Don't Say You Love Me
by AHChidemebabe
Summary: With Jack and Elizabeth finding themselves in unexpected situations after the EITC battle, they are joined to set off on a new adventure. Elizabeth learns what it's really like to be a pirate and adapts to her new permanent lifestyle. They must set their differences aside and work together to complete their journey. Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1

_Intro: Elizabeth is still Pirate King, and the battle with the EITC happened. Will and Elizabeth did not marry, and after the battle he decided to leave her. They had their day ashore to say goodbye, and Will tried to explain to her that he didn't want to be tied to someone he could only see once every 10 years. _

Surprise Guest

Sitting at a table nursing his bottle of rum, the candlelight flickered off the face of the famous Jack Sparrow. Having returned to Shipwreck Cove after the battle with the East India Trading Company, he was figuring his next move. Looking around his cabin aboard his beloved _Black Pearl_, Jack decided that plans could wait until morning.

"Gibbs!" he shouted, walking out on deck.  
"Aye cap'n," he responded, looking up from his flask.  
"I feel the need to celebrate," he commented, swaying towards the railing of his ship and resting a hand on his pistol.  
"Celebrate, sir? Drink to our victory and to Beckett's death?" Gibbs questioned with a sly smile.  
"No. We are to celebrate having no worries for one day. Since every other day seems to have such a peculiar series of rather bothersome events, I need to just sit for a night. Come, the rum calls to us," he motioned and made his way towards his old home.

Walking down the hall with Gibbs in tow, Jack heard muffled sounds of sniffles. Stopping and staring down his nose at the entrance to the dining room, he looked at the back of his father. Wearing his red coat and swaying ever so slightly, Teague put a hand on the sniffling person's shoulder.  
"Here lass. This will help," Teague said, offering the mystery person a mug of what Jack assumed was rum. Curious as to who was speaking with his father, he raised an eyebrow.  
"What is it?" Gibbs asked, having almost ran into Jack at his sudden stop. Teague heard the voice and turned around.  
"Jackie," he sighed, "grab us a bottle will ye?" Teague instructed his son. Rolling his eyes, Jack looked back at Gibbs and hit him in the shoulder. He walked farther down the hall and grabbed a few bottles along with three more mugs from the kitchen, and returned.  
"Who are you talking t-" Jack asked just as Teague turned around exposing one Elizabeth Swann. Her eyes red, and face tired. "Why your _majesty_, tears are quite unattractive on you," he teased with heavy sarcasm. His father rolled his eyes in response and harshly snatched a bottle from Jack to refill her glass.  
"Jack I'm really not in the mood," Elizabeth retorted.  
"Why are ye here lass?" Gibbs asked out of curiosity.  
"Yes, why _are_ you here? Shouldn't you be enjoying dear William's company?" Jack asked, pouring himself a full mug of rum. Wiping a few stray tears away, Elizabeth took a sip of her drink.  
"Should I? After he decided he wanted nothing to do with me?" she snapped, looking to Teague for support.  
"It appears Mr. Turner has decided his intentions lay elsewhere," Teague translated for the men. Jack nodded in understanding, and drained his mug.  
"Always knew he was a eunuch," Jack muttered to Gibbs. "Well! Seeing as you've a fresh bottle, we'll be on our way n' away from here!" he announced cheerfully and turned to leave.

Elizabeth watched as Gibbs gave her a parting glance while he and Jack left the room, leaving her with Captain Teague.  
"I'm truly sorry. I don't mean to be a burden," she stated.  
"None at all missy. An' don't mind Jack," Teague answered, sighing. "You've every right to be here, sayin' as yer pirate King. N' maybe it's fer the best, this business with the young Turner," he offered.  
"Maybe," she whispered. "You must have other duties, again I'm sorry. I hope I'm not keeping you from anything," she said, worried that the elder pirate would be annoyed.  
"Nay. 'Tis not right to leave ye alone. I'm takin' the night off," he added with a chuckle that shook his beaded hair.  
"Thank you," she replied, looking to the bottle on the table. Catching her hint, he filled her mug again with a smile. The two sat in silence for some time while Elizabeth calmed her nerves. Soon she was lost in her own thoughts.  
"I'm goin' to check in wiv Jackie, if that's alright," he asked while standing up.  
"Of course," she encouraged, not wanting to keep him from talking with his own son.  
"I'll be back soon," he said over his shoulder before leaving. Not but ten minutes after he had left, she was feeling the full effects of the rum. Wanting to just forget about her frustration with Will, she finished her drink. Her eyes soon began to feel heavy, and sleep overtook her within minutes.

"Where ye headed next?" Teague said, catching the attention of Jack and Gibbs who were sitting at a table enjoying their rum and a game of cards.  
"Hmm? Not sure. Still tryin' t' figure that out," Jack responded, looking up from his hand of cards.  
"I see."  
"Perhaps Tortuga?" Gibbs asked hopefully.  
"Perhaps," Jack responded, lost in his thoughts.  
"What's wiv you and dear Elizabeth?" Teague asked, taking a seat next to them. "One minute yer voting her King, n' the next ye come in mockin' her after this William business," he continued with confusion.  
"Oh bugger, please don't start," Jack began.  
"Ahh," was all Teague said.  
"The bloody wench killed me!"  
"Aye, but she also brought ye back from the locker," Gibbs added.  
"True," Jack replied, looking into his mug. "Enough. Let's finish this game so I can beat ye already," he added with a smirk.

An hour later, Jack went in search of another bottle. The three of them had continued to play cards and talk about the battle recently won. Waltzing down the hall he glanced in the dining room on his way to the kitchen. Spotting Elizabeth sleeping slumped down in a chair, he stopped. He walked towards her, noticing the dried tears on her face. Wincing, he tried to wake her up in hopes she'd retire for the night. He soon found out that she was passed out, probably from the rum Teague had fed her. Sighing, he grabbed her knees and shoulders to pick her up. Slowly and carefully he made his way to a bedroom with Elizabeth in his arms fast asleep. Approaching the bed he laid her down as gently as he could. Feeling fuzzy and warm from the amount _he_ drank already, he paused to gaze down at her.  
"Oh dearie," he mumbled with a smirk. He grabbed a few blankets from the shelf and tucked her in. After a last parting glance, he strolled out of the room and returned to his search for rum.

The next morning Elizabeth was awakened from the rays of light shining through the window. Sitting up, she realized that she had made it to a room the previous night. Suddenly rubbing her head in hope to rid it of the dull ache, she groaned. To join her throbbing head, her stomach began to gurgle. Elizabeth decided to find something to eat, and found the kitchen relatively easy. To her surprise, there was an older woman making tea in the kitchen.  
"Well good morning miss," she greeted Elizabeth.  
"Good morning," she answered.  
"Name's Glenna," she offered with a smile.  
"Elizabeth."  
"Ahh, yes. The new King?" she said with admiration in her voice.  
"Y-yes," Elizabeth responded, grabbing an orange from a bowl. Enjoying some nourishment and tea that Glenna finished making, she made her way to find Teague. After she returned to the dining room and found nobody, she walked down the hall, peaking in rooms. Eventually she found three slumped over figures around a table. Chuckling, she saw Gibbs hanging off his chair with his mug still in hand. Jack and Teague were both sleeping in their chairs, with Teague snoring quite loudly. Deciding to let them sleep, she found her way back to the room she stayed in.

Setting her tea down, she searched the dresser for some clean clothes. Feeling satisfied with an off white shirt and some plain black breeches, she changed. In the process of getting dressed, she accidentally knocked her tea off the bedside table.  
"Blast!" she snapped, grabbing a cloth to clean up the mess. On the floor wiping up the tea, she noticed something underneath the bed. Tilting her head to the side, she hesitantly reached forward. She was able to recognize the foreign object as a small box. Curious, she pulled it out from under the bed and opened it. She began to cry again upon seeing a handful of letters. They were from a lover, supposedly to her sailor. The loving words reminded her of Will instantly and the familiar tightness in her chest returned. However, one of the letters had a special marking on it. Opening it, she saw that it wasn't a letter at all. Instead, it was a list of numbers. Confused, she put it back in the box and set it on the bedside table. She suddenly felt the need to wash and went to ask Glenna where she could acquire a tub to do so.

Later that day, Elizabeth heard shouting and decided to investigate. Anything to keep her mind off of Will was welcome. Finding the source of the shouting, she saw Jack and Teague in a heated argument.  
"Oh shut it! Yer no better than I!" Jack shouted, leaning in to his insult.  
"Boy, ye be testing my patience," Teague cautioned.  
"Then stop trying to act like someone you are in no resemblance to!"  
"Everything okay?" Elizabeth chimed in, receiving bothered glances from both father and son.  
"No love, everything is not okay," Jack snapped back.  
"Leave us," Teague requested. She turned to leave, seeing that she was unwelcome until Jack chimed in again.  
"Oh no! Let us have a guest. A _witness_ more so, to your wildly imaginative accusations and false pretenses! Ye have no problem yellin' any other day!"  
"Damn it Jack! Ye never know when enough is enough!" Teague stormed out. Frozen in the entry, Elizabeth was unsure if she should stay, flee, or find Teague. Turning to go, Jack's voice stopped her.  
"Leave him. He's best left alone now," he said with a wave of his hand. Forming a smirk, he looked at her fresh change of clothes. "Find everything you need eh?"  
"Yes. Thank you," she responded, still unsure of what to do.  
"Apologies for what happened with the whelp," he offered.  
"No need. I'll be fine," she said, trying to act strong. Truth be told, a lot of her emotional strength had been used up in the battle with the EITC. The two sat in awkward silence for a few minutes as Jack paced back and forth. "Is there anything I can do?" she offered, not knowing what else to say. After the kindness Teague had shown her she felt indebted to their hospitality, even though she was technically the King.  
"Hmm? No," he casually answered, lost in thought. "Drink wiv me?"  
"Drink? I've just only recovered from last night. I'm not even sure how I managed to find a bed!" she exclaimed. Smirking and nodding in silent agreement, Jack reached into a cupboard and pulled out a bottle. However, Elizabeth recognized it as wine instead of rum. Holding the bottle out to her in question with a raised eyebrow that disappeared under his bandana, Jack flashed a smile her direction. "Oh alright. A glass of wine," she said, giving in.

Pouring the red liquid into two tankards, Jack closed his eyes after taking a sip.  
"So what is our dear King's next adventure?" Jack thought aloud.  
"I've no idea. I didn't expect things to turn out the way they did. I cannot return home, I know that for certain. A pirate King is most likely unwelcome in Port Royal," she sarcastically stated.

"One never knows what the future holds. You'll figure it out, I'm sure," he responded, sparing a glance in her direction.  
"Where is Mister Gibbs?" she casually asked, wanting to change the subject for fear that he would bring up Will.  
"Probably back aboard the _Pearl_, waiting for my return."  
"I figured you would be celebrating in Tortuga already," she said, sipping at the delicious red wine. In response he chuckled and gave a slight shake of his head.  
"Hardly. I need t' devise a new plan. My original idea of stabbing old fish face's heart obviously did not go accordingly," he commented while looking Elizabeth down his nose. Hearing his words and making the connection with Will, Elizabeth stood up causing her chair to push back forcefully. Giving him a look of hurt and anger, she fled the room. "What? Females…" he muttered to himself, draining the remainder of his wine. "Confusing creatures," he said to himself.

Many, many glasses of wine later, Jack found himself wandering down the hall to find Teague. Spotting Elizabeth in one of the rooms filled with books, he strolled over to her.  
"You seen Teague?" he slurred and looked around at the room. Much of his childhood was spent there, watching his father read over different books or play the guitar.  
"No Jack," she said, not making eye contact with him.  
"Must be out drinking. What are you reading?" he asked, edging closer to her.  
"None of your business."  
"Oh come now dear 'lizabeth. Contrary to popular belief I'm n-not so bad eh?"  
"Well _my_ belief is that it is rude to rub the result of _your_ decisions into my face," she snapped, giving him a death glare. She could see how he had obviously continued drinking the wine after she left. "Shouldn't you be on your ship?" she asked, her words laced with venom.  
"Aye the _Pearl_ is my home, but I lived 'ere first," he slurred. Moving closer to her, he noticed that she was reading one of his father's books. "What are you reading?" he asked.  
"Teague said I could use his books."  
"Why?" he asked.  
"Captain Sparrow you're awfully inquisitive."  
"_Where did you get that?_" he demanded, seeing a piece of paper in her other hand. Listed on it were groups of numbers, which he recognized as coordinates. On the top of the page was the name _Captain Pierce._  
"It was in a box I found. It was under my bed I slept in last night. Why, do you recognize it?" she asked, curiosity letting her forget her previous anger.


	2. Chapter 2

Won't Need Persuasion

Teague waltzed down the familiar hallway of shipwreck cove. Being the Keeper of the Code, Edward Teague had just as much responsibility as the King. However, his duties sometimes became bothersome when dealing with issues he would considered _petty._ Wanting to unwind and find some peace and quiet, his thoughts were interrupted. With a roll of his eyes, he walked into a heated argument between Jack and Elizabeth.

"What the hell are you yellin' about now Jack?" he demanded, quickly spotting a bottle on the table nearby which he happily helped himself to.

"We be not yelling, just having a disagreement. Look," Jack responded pointing towards a piece of parchment that Elizabeth was cradling at a distance from him. As Teague slowly approached her, Elizabeth held it up in front of him to see. Squinting, he recognized the name _Captain Pierce_ instantly.

"Lass where did ye find this?" Teague asked.

"She found it in a box, supposedly under the bed she stayed in," Jack snapped, sarcastically and still slightly swaying from the previously consumed wine.  
"I can speak for myself Jack," she retorted.

"There are many passersby that have stayed a night in one o' these rooms. It _is_ a possibility that someone fergot it. Do you know what this is dear Elizabeth?" Teague said, eyeing his son struggling to stand upright.

"No. Jack will not tell me," she responded while shooting an evil look in Jack's direction.

"Nay, I'm just kindly asking you to let me have it. I've even offered you a price," he defended himself.

"Is everything with you based on deals you most likely cannot fulfill?" she snapped back, looking to Teague for more information. Jack and just rolled his eyes in response and sighed.

"I will tell ye. Captain Pierce is long since dead," Teague began. At this, Elizabeth blinked out of confusion until he continued. "He was famous for the treasure he acquired in India. Nobody knows the true value of what he plundered, but 'tis said to be great. The dear captain lived out his life from port to port, but not before he made dead certain 'is treasure would be kept safe. Greedy bastard, from what I hear."

"So these numbers are some sort of code for his treasure?" Elizabeth asked while staring at the piece of parchment.

"That I do not know, but those numbers do hold significance," Teague responded.

"They are coordinates," Jack interjected. Recognition overcame Elizabeth's face. Just as Jack tried to move close enough to grab the parchment, she took a step back and gave him a look. "Why won't ye just hand it over?" he continued, clearly annoyed.

"Why would I? Maybe I will seek out the treasure myself," she said, looking to Teague for support.

"Aye let's not go makin' any rash decisions. Elizabeth you have no ship. Jack, yer drunk as a skunk. Let's leave this for tomorrow," Teague announced as he retreated from the room, taking the bottle away from Jack.

* * *

Elizabeth sat in the kitchen with only one candle for light. Eating some leftover dinner, she sat alone. After finishing a small piece of meat and a roll, she left. Soon finding Teague plucking at his guitar strings, she sat down near him to listen. He noticed her presence, but continued to play. Over the course of twenty minutes or so, she listened to the beautiful music.

"Can't sleep?" he asked her as he started a new song.

"I was hungry. Forgot to eat tonight," she said, still mesmerized by the guitar. "You play beautifully," she added.

"Hmm? Oh, 'tis just something to help pass the time. You still hiding your discovered coordinates?"

"Of course. Can't trust Jack," she chuckled. "Where is Jack?" she wondered out loud, having not seen him since earlier that evening during the argument.

"Fell asleep in 'is room. Master Gibbs came, lookin' for 'im. But once he realized that Jackie wasn't getting up for at least a few hours, he went back to the _Pearl_."

"Ahh," she nodded. "Captain Teague," she started. "I want to go after Captain Pierce's treasure."

"I know. I know you do, but lass those coordinates may not mean anything. There's no way 'o tellin' they will lead you to anything at all."

"Yes. I understand," she answered with a furrowed brow. "I need this though. I must move on from Will. It is not that I am ungrateful or not enjoying my stay here, because I am. It's just that I feel the need to do something for myself. Considering I'm Pirate King, I may as well live up to the name."

"Are you really this hell bent on finding some supposedly lost treasure?" he asked, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Why yes! I'm always the one getting kidnapped or marooned on islands. I know I cannot return to my old life in Port Royal, nor do I have any wish to. That being said I feel I deserve a little adventure. Is that so bad?" she ranted, noticing he had stopped strumming the guitar. He laughed in response, and took a sip of his drink.

"If I may, I think 't was that fire I jus' saw there that made Jackie vote ye King. Now yer all set on going after some treasure," he mused.

"Please don't stop playing," she said, not responding to his comment. Smirking, he returned to strumming the guitar. The two sat in silence a while longer, until Elizabeth could no longer keep her eyes open and went to bed.

* * *

The next morning, Elizabeth woke up to the smell of food. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she sat up and looked out the window. The sunrise was beautiful, hints of orange and yellow peaking up above the horizon. She knew she needed to find Jack and Teague. Hopefully they could come to an agreement about the coordinates. After getting dressed, brushing her hair, and washing up her face she went to the kitchen. Hoping to find them eating or at least awake, she was disappointed to find just Glenna.

"Morning miss," she announced, clearly busy cooking. Elizabeth was unsure of how many people lived here, or in the whole community. It was clear that Glenna was responsible for feeding more than just Captain Teague.

"Morning," she responded. "Have you seen Captain Teague or Jack?" she asked.

"Captain Teague was just in 'ere, said he'd be back for breakfast in a bit. Jack is still asleep I'm guessing."

"Oh."

"Go on and wake him lass. Don't want breakfast getting' cold. Last door on the left," she said, pointing towards the hallway. Blinking a few extra times, she turned and started walking down the hall. Having never ventured very far, she realized it was a lot longer than she thought. Reaching the door, she knocked. After trying a few more times, she cracked it open.

"Jack?" she called, peeking her head in. He lay asleep on his stomach, softly snoring. "Jack," she repeated again. Looking around she noticed that his room was rather cluttered. So unlike the neat and tidy room she had stayed in the past few nights, his was full of personal belongings. There were piles of books everywhere, and random trinkets. Refocusing herself, she turned towards Jack and moved closer to nudge him awake. Tentatively reaching a hand out, she nudged his shoulder and repeated his name. Before she knew it she was on her bottom sitting on the floor after letting out a scream. Jack sat up with a small knife in his hand, and relaxed his pose.

"What the bloody hell Jack!" she shrieked, panting on the floor.

"Don't sneak up on me!" he snapped back, lowering the knife.

"Well who sleeps with a knife under their pillow!" she challenged, her heart still racing.

"Pretty much every pirate," he responded with a raised eyebrow. "Are you alright?" he asked, seeing her still sitting on the floor and out of breath.

"I'm fine. Glenna suggested I wake you. Obviously that was a mistake."

"Ahh. Very well. I'll be out," he said looking at her and then the door. Taking the hint, she exited the room and went to the kitchen to wait.

* * *

"No. No no no. I will not have someone who killed me sail on my ship!" Jack said.

"I brought you back! That cancels out!" Elizabeth said in desperation.

"Does not! Your logic is flawed," he commented.

"Stop bein' so paranoid Jack. Jones and Beckett are both gone now, there be no reason for 'er to harm ye," Teague chimed in.

"Oh I'm sure she can bloody think of one," Jack muttered.

"I promise to not kill you. There, better?" she offered with a smirk.

"A promise holds no value from someone untrustworthy," he claimed.

"Oh, and you're so trustworthy," she sarcastically snapped.

"You're not going," he stated, crossing his arms.

"Then you're not getting the coordinates."

"I'll find a way to get the parchment. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow," he announced proudly.

"That's impossible," she replied, with a smirk on her face.

"Love, nothing's impossible."

"Well this is. Considering I burnt the parchment," she victoriously said.

"What? Liar!" Jack yelped.

"I'm not lying. I've mesmerized the numbers. Insurance you might say. Looks like I'll be boarding the _Black Pearl_ and setting sail soon?" she chimed, her eyes gaining a mischievous glow. Teague burst out laughing at Elizabeth's words, and Jack stared at her in disbelief.

* * *

"This will end badly. I should have taken that blasted parchment last night," Jack complained to his father who was watching him with amusement.

"Stop yer babbling. She wants to do this, and clearly needs your help. You'll be able to split everything ye find, I don't see the harm in it."

"You don't understand. You've never been killed and brought back by the same bloody person!" Jack rambled on, grabbing a bottle of rum and uncorking it with his teeth.

"Tomorrow before ye set sail, jus' give me a chance to talk to her. But you need to quit being so twitchy son, just be thankful she's willin' to give you equal share."

"Equal share when I _could_ have _all_ of it!"

"Will changed his mind because of what happened to him, which was your doing. Not sayin' it wasn't the right thing, cause t' was. Just sayin' that ye have to remember that she's alone now. Can't go back home, lost her man, and she's wanting to start somethin' new. Maybe this will help 'er move on with life. She's yer King too ya know, best keep 'er happy," Teague explained. His son threw his hands up in the air, frustrated and left the room stomping his way down the hall.

* * *

Elizabeth sat in the tub of warm water. Deciding to take a bath before she was stuck at sea, she made sure to wash her hair as best she could. Letting her muscles relax, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth. Glenna had brought her the bath and soap. Knowing she was going to be at sea for some time on a ship full of men, she took pleasure in the alone time and peacefulness. They would set sail tomorrow, and she knew it was going to be difficult to deal with Jack. Sighing, she got out of the tub and dressed for bed. Before slipping into bed, she pushed the tub into the hall. It was a nice night with the cool breeze coming in through the window. Curling up with the blankets, Elizabeth thought about her father. The memory of her home and father saddened her. Deep down she knew he would be proud. However, that still didn't ease the heartache of wanting her father, or more importantly her mother. Something she felt cheated on was a mother to cry to about her problems. If only she had been able to speak with her mother about Will, would she have given useful advice? Would her mother even of let her pursue him in the first place? The only thing Elizabeth felt about Will now was a numb reminder that she was alone. Shutting her eyes she tried to clear her mind so that sleep could take her. Her emotions would have to wait. It was time to get well rested for her journey.


	3. Chapter 3

Nerves Rising

Standing at the dock, Elizabeth looked at the longboat Jack was loading things into. Turning to face Teague, her eyes brightened.

"Thank you for everything Captain Teague."

"Just Teague," he corrected, "and you're welcome. Hope to be seein' ye soon eh?"

"I'll be back," she responded with a smile.

"Take care of yerself lass," he said, pulling her into a hug. Thanking him once more, she turned to Jack and hopped into the longboat. He was still loading a few things, and once he was finished he turned to his father.

"Ye best take good care of her boy," Teague instructed.

"Yes yes, I know, she holds the coordinates."

"That's not what I meant. Either way, best of luck," he said, patting Jack on the shoulder. With that word, he jumped into the longboat and began to row towards his ship. Minutes later, they were pulling up to the _Pearl_.

"Cap'n! Glad to have you back aboard!" Gibbs shouted down. Upon seeing that Elizabeth was present, his face scrunched up in confusion. "Sir?" he asked.

"Mr. Cotton, unload the longboat if you will," Jack instructed once on deck. "Gibbs, the _three_ of us are to have a _private_ conversation in me cabin." Motioning for Elizabeth to follow him, the three of them made their way to Jack's cabin. After closing the door, Jack rubbed his eyes and took a seat behind his desk.

"We do have a new heading Mr. Gibbs, but we also have a surprise guest aboard," Jack explained, grabbing a map and laying it out on his desk.

"Sir?" Gibbs asked, wanting more of an explanation.

"Our dear majesty came across the coordinates to our next adventure. This information stays between the three of us, understand?" Jack explained, looking between the two of them.

"Aye, but what is it we're goin' after?" Gibbs continued.

"A treasure, of course. The legend of Captain Pierce's treasure, to be exact." Gibbs eyes widened at this information and he smiled.

"Even though havin' a woman aboard be bad luck, I think we can make an exception. 'Tis our King after all," he said, smiling at Elizabeth. She returned the smile. Looking around, she noticed that the cabin was very "homey" compared to the time she had actually spent time in there when captured by Barbossa. Jack had books and maps piled everywhere, along with trinkets. It was similar to his bedroom at Shipwreck cove. Sitting at his desk, he had made eye contact with her and she realized he was probably waiting for the coordinates.

"Well dear Elizabeth? The coordinates if you please. Unless you'd like to sail in circles," he said, teasing her with a smile.

"Very well."

* * *

The first set of coordinates she told Jack was to lead them off the coast of Panama. Jack had instructed Gibbs to set sail and gave him the heading. Leaving just Jack and Elizabeth alone in the room, she wondered if she was supposed to follow Gibbs or not. Seeing him hunched over a map, she figured that he didn't need her for anything more at the moment. Quietly exiting the cabin, she entered the main deck. Seeing a familiar face, she smiled at Cotton. He and his parrot were making their way to the helm. Looking around seeing if she could help with anything as they set sail, she offered to help a young sailor with the lines. She later found out that his name was Sanders, a young boy from England. With limited knowledge she helped out where she could, and eventually retreated down to the galley.

"Can I help you?" a shorter man asked. Eyeing him up, Elizabeth noticed his striped pants and very dirty white shirt. He raised an eyebrow wondering who she was.

"Uh, no. I just came down here to see if anyone else needed help."

"And who might you be?" he asked, with a thick Irish accent.

"Elizabeth. Elizabeth Swann."

"Elizabeth. Elizabeth as in the Pirate King? As in the one cap'n talks about all the time?" At his words she flinched, wondering if the whole ship knew of her part in Jack's temporary death.

"Yes," she answered timidly.

"Well what brings ye down here? Much less on captain's ship if I might ask?" he wondered, playing at the blondish red hair on his face.

"I'll be traveling with you. That's all I can really say," she said. Knowing Jack would be furious if she said too much, she had told Sanders the same thing.

"Ahh, travelin' wiv the captain?" he asked in a suggestive voice.

"I'm not sure what you mean by that, but he and I have an agreement. Strictly business agreement," she clarified. The man chuckled, and lifted a hand to stir the boiling pot of what appeared to be stew.

"Well, I could use some help then. Coneley's the name," he extended a rather unclean hand towards her. Shaking it, she tried to return the smile. "Ye can cut up some of these vegetables. Dice 'em into smaller pieces." Elizabeth spent most of the afternoon helping Mr. Coneley in the galley, listening to tales of his adventures. Some of the crew was just picked up from Shipwreck Cove, having sought refuge there before the battle with the EITC. He was an interesting man, and didn't give Elizabeth much opportunity to contribute to the conversation at first. When the watch bell rang that it was 1pm, the crew began to stroll in for food. Having just stocked up, the crew was happy to be eating fresh food. One by one they lined up and grabbed a bowl of stew along with a roll and something to drink. Jack was the last to wander into the galley. He swayed back and forth and smiled at Mr. Coneley.

"Thank you," he said to Mr. Coneley, grabbing his stew and sitting at one of the tables. To her surprise, Mr. Coneley held out a bowl of steaming stew to Elizabeth. Smiling, she took it and sat down next to Sanders.

"You been down here all day huh?" he asked her, with a mouth full of bread.

"Yes, I helped Mr. Coneley."

"Mmm. So you know the captain?" he asked.

"Yes. I've known him for a few years. How long have you been sailing with him?" she asked, taking a sip of her lunch.

"Oh this is me first adventure with Mr. Sparrow. I sailed with Captain Conner from England. I ended up at Shipwreck Cove, an' Captain Teague got me a spot 'ere on the _Black Pearl_."

"You look awful young to have traveled so much. And to be a pirate?" she questioned, unsure of his true age.

"Aye. I be only sixteen. But me parents were pirates. Da was killed about two years ago, and me mum moved to England to be wiv her sister. I decided to venture out on me own eh?" he said. Noticing that she had only had a few bites out of her lunch, he stared at her bowl. "You goin' to eat all that?" he asked, hope in his voice. A smile formed on Elizabeth's face, and she pushed the bowl towards him. "Ship rations, not enough for me stomach," he said, chuckling. Within two minutes he had finished her bowl of stew as well.

* * *

Just as they had entered, one by one the crew disappeared back upstairs. Jack passed by Sanders and Elizabeth, giving the boy an odd look before putting his dishes in a pile by Mr. Coneley.

"Best be goin'," Sanders announced, standing up and leaving.

"Mr. Coneley would you like help with the dishes?" she asked, realizing she didn't have much to do.

"Of course. Ye can start the dishes, and I'll start getting' dinner ready." An hour later, Elizabeth had all the dishes washed and left to get some fresh air. Steadying herself, she looked over the railing. Staring out at the calm blue ocean, she smiled. This was exactly what she needed, to be free. Her thoughts were interrupted when a hand clasped around her shoulder. Jumping, she turned.

"Didn't mean 't scare ye miss Elizabeth," Gibbs said, fighting back a chuckle. "Saw you helpin' today, an' just thought I'd make sure ye know ye don't have to do anythin'."

"Am I not supposed to help?" she asked.

"No, not sayin' that. It's just you don't have to. Any help is always appreciated," he smiled at her.

"Oh. I just feel the need to keep busy I guess," she pondered, staring back out at the ocean. She sat with Gibbs for a while, and soon returned to the galley to help serve dinner. Jack did not come down to eat like he had for lunch, and Elizabeth wondered why. It was now dark out, and she realized that she was unsure of where she was supposed to sleep. Seeing that Mister Gibbs was busy assigning watches, she knocked on the cabin door.

"Come in," she heard Jack's muffled voice, and opened the door. "Yes?" he asked her, looking up from his charts.

"I-I was just wondering where I am supposed to retire for the night," she asked, now feeling that she wished they had a separate room for her.

"Where you're to sleep? Why with the rest of the crew of course. Unless, that is, you'd like to sleep in my cabin. But there's only one bed, and I'm not very good at sharing," he said, showing gold teeth as he smiled.

"I'll find myself a hammock then," she said, frowning and slamming the door shut. Walking away she could hear him laughing. Huffing out of frustration with Jack, she stomped down the stairs and grabbed a hammock. It took her a few tries to successfully hop into it. Pulling her hat over her eyes, she tried to drift off to sleep. It was surprisingly easy to fall asleep with the rocking of the waves, and she was soon lost in her dreams.

_"But Will, what do you mean? What is wrong? I don't understand," Elizabeth sobbed. His face grimaced, and he patted her shoulder.  
"I'm truly sorry Elizabeth. My feelings are just…gone. If I could change it I would. I just no longer have the love for you I once did. Having the crew put my heart in that chest changed everything. My future is different than yours, and I don't want to stop you from living your life. It's not going to work, and we've always had different outlooks on life. I've been given a second chance with my father, and I intend to make the best of it. Don't think I won't visit you in ten years, because I will. I still care; I just don't hold the same passion I did before. I'm sorry Elizabeth," he finished, kissing her forehead and disappearing into the ocean. Sobbing, she collapsed onto the sand. It was an hour later that Captain Teague picked her up in a longboat and returned her to Shipwreck Cove._

* * *

Jack sat at his desk, sipping on a bottle of rum. Tired, he stood up and wandered over to his sleeping quarters. Pulling back the curtain, he sat on his bed and removed his boots. After setting his effects on the bedside table, he laid down to catch some sleep before morning came. However, his very loud thoughts prevented this. Elizabeth was in his mind, and she wouldn't leave. He had a hard time believing that he could actually trust her. Now she was stuck on his ship and they were going after a treasure together. In the back of his mind he wanted to let go of the past and forget what happened, except that Jack Sparrow was a very stubborn man. Unsure of how this journey was going to pan out, he lay awake for an hour before sleep finally overtook him.

* * *

Elizabeth woke up with tears slipping down her cheeks. Quickly wiping them away in hopes of nobody else seeing them, she fell out of her hammock. Now her head throbbed, and she attempted to relieve the pain by rubbing it. Hearing her stomach growl from lack of food, she found the galley. Most everyone else was already on deck, working in the sun. Having slept in late she prayed that there was still something left to eat.

"Well good morning lass," Mr. Coneley bellowed. Grimacing because she was the last one awake, she stepped closer to him.

"Can I help you again today?" she asked, only to have her stomach make a noisy gurgle. Mr. Coneley chuckled and handed her an orange.

"Sure. But let's fix that talking stomach first," he answered. She smiled and gratefully took the fruit.

Some time later, she went up on deck between meals. Sanders greeted her with a happy smile before returning to his work. She spotted Jack at the helm, kohl lining his eyes to protect them from the sun. Finding a comfortable seat on the stairs, she observed the crew perform their daily tasks. It was fascinating to actually have time to sit back and watch how they worked. She began to pick up on some of the crew's names as Gibbs yelled out orders to different crewmen. One man in particular continued to send glances her way. She figured he must be curious as to why she was aboard. He was medium build and height with blonde hair. The man looked to be in his mid thirties, and she learned that his name was Hodge. Shaking her head and standing up, she walked up the stairs towards Jack.  
He spared a look in her direction, but then returned his gaze to the sea.

"Jack?" she asked.

"Hmm?"

"I was just wondering how long it will take us to get there."

"As long as it takes," he responded curtly. Rolling her eyes and sighing she turned to leave. "Five days if the weather cooperates," he added once she had turned to leave.

"Thank you. That's all I wanted to know," she said, a little happy that he actually answered her. She retraced her steps next to him, hoping that he would actually talk to her. Being that Sanders and Gibbs were both very busy she didn't have anyone to really talk to. Mr. Coneley was taking his break, and she didn't want to disturb him.

"How was yer first night?" he asked, looking down at his compass.

"It was fine, except that I fell out of my hammock a few times," she admitted. At this, Jack laughed and she saw him glance at her once again.

"No problems then?" he pried. Confused as to what he meant, she shook her head.

"No," she hesitantly responded. He just nodded in response, and was soon occupied with steering the ship. Elizabeth decided to go back to her perch on the steps. Waiting until the next meal when she could help Mr. Coneley, she waited on the steps for time to pass. All the while she was on the steps, the man named Hodge continued to stare at her, creating a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.


	4. Chapter 4

_**I'm glad you guys like the story so far. I've had the idea in my head for a while, and just had to find the time to start writing it! Hope you enjoy the next chapter. Please let me know what you think and any comments are always welcome!**_

* * *

Angry Clouds

Staring at the clear blue sky Elizabeth sat on the steps. It had become her favorite spot over the past few days, because she was able to observe the sailors and their work. It also gave her the opportunity to help when Mr. Coneley didn't need her. She was able to keep pretty busy, except between lunch and dinner. To her surprise, Jack took a seat on the steps with her.

"Jack," she addressed him, raising her eyebrow.

"Luv, what are ye doing?" he asked.

"Just sitting. Am I needed somewhere?" she asked, worried that he would yell at her.

"No, jus' curious as to what yer doin'. We arrive at the island in about two days," he mused, adjusting his bandana.

"Where exactly is Panama? That's where this island is, correct?" she asked. At her words, his eyes lit up and he jumped to his feet.

"I'll show ye," he said, a hint of amusement in his eyes. This took Elizabeth by surprise, but she cautiously took his hand and followed him into his cabin. Knowing he was probably still upset with her about temporarily killing him, she was wary about his displayed kindness. They hadn't actually talked about the incident with the kraken, and she didn't want to be the one to open that particular box of feelings.

"Here," he motioned her to come by the desk and pulled out the chair for her. "Sit," he instructed. Arranging the map in front of her, he stood directly behind her. "This here is Panama," he started, pointing towards the country on his map. Leaning closer he moved his finger slightly to the right and said, "Here is about where the island is." She could feel the warmth from his cheek next to her. The scent of rum and spices filled her nose, and she rather liked it. Moving her head closer to the map to get a clearer view, she smiled. "This is approximately where we are right now, and like I said it should only be a few days with good weather. Ye never know," he finished, moving his finger in a line away from the marked coordinates on the map.

"How did you learn so much about navigating? I thought you just used your compass for everything?" she wondered with a smirk.

"Aye, but I didn't always have this handy compass now, did I?" he said with a chuckle, tapping the compass. "An' any good sailor, pirate or not, should know his way 'round the seas and where he be going eh?" She nodded in agreement and looked back down at his map and charts that were scrambled and cluttering the desk. Watching him smile at the idea of teaching her something, she let out a small laugh.

"Well thank you for the brief navigational lesson," she teased, leaning into his arm that was still extended.

"Anytime luv," he mumbled. Moving towards a cabinet across the room he grabbed a bottle of rum and took a swig.

"I best go check if Mr. Coneley needs any help," she said, excusing herself and leaving Jack in the company of his rum.

* * *

Minutes later, Jack returned on deck to take over the helm.

"I'll take over, Cotton," he addressed with a smile. Receiving a squawk from the parrot, he grabbed the wheel. The weather was gracing them with sunshine and clear skies, and it was smooth sailing. Standing by himself, he heard bits and pieces of the crew's conversation. Gibbs was telling Sanders about his adventure to the dreaded Isla de la Muerta. Proudly smiling at the memory, he turned his ears to other conversations. When he wasn't talking to himself in his mind, he often listened in on what his crew was talking about. Part of it probably had to do with the paranoia that possessed him. Hearing Hodge and Thomas mention Elizabeth caught his attention.

"Don' know why he hasn't had 'is way wiv the wench yet. Unless 'e already did back at the cove. Either way, ain't fair if you ask me," Hodge commented, tying down a line and brushing his hair out of the way. Thomas looked up at him, and laughed.

"Aye I'm sure he'll share 'er soon enough Hodge. Didn't yer mum ever tell ya patience was a virtue?" Thomas teased.

"Me mum was dead before I turned five. So no," he replied with irritation. "Ain't fair t' keep her all to himself. That's all I is sayin'," Hodge finished and walked away to do other work. Upon hearing part of their conversation, Jack felt a twinge of anger rise up inside him. He knew it was awfully brave of Elizabeth to sail a pirate ship being the only woman, but he figured that her being King would give her a sense of respect among the men. He apparently thought wrong.

"Mister Hodge!" Jack called down from the helm, with a grin on his face.

"Aye cap'n," Hodge called back.

"Be yer turn to swab the deck I think," Jack said.

"Aye sir," he replied with a sour look on his face and stomped over to the bucket with obvious anger. Jack chuckled to himself, and played with the braids of his beard. _Much better._

* * *

The next night, Jack was thrown from his bed and painfully hit the floor. Moaning in pain, he sat up and was greeted with a raging thunderstorm outside the windows.

"Bugger," he hissed. _The weather was so pleasant yesterday. Just my luck._ Grabbing a dirty shirt and his coat, he hastily put his boots on. As he walked out into the rain he spotted Cotton struggling at the helm and Sanders being rolled around deck from the sea. Marching down the stairs and straight to Gibb's door, he banged on the rickety wooden door. "Gibbs!" he shouted, easily waking the sleeping man.

"Sir?" his first mate greeted him with concern.

"There's a storm and ye be asleep! Yer arse should be awake! Get the crew on deck! Now!" he shouted, turning towards the rest of his sleeping crew he walked up to a group of hammocks. "Up! Storm! Movement! Now!" he yelled, turning on his heel to relieve Cotton. The poor mute was struggling to keep hold of the wheel as the vicious waves thrashed against the _Pearl_. As Jack used all his strength to keep her as steady as possible, Master Gibbs bellowed out orders over the harsh winds of the storm. The pelting rain stung Jack's face as he saw his crew secure life lines to the main mast. During the commotion, he spotted Elizabeth trying scale the rigging to access the sails.

"Oi! 'Lizabeth!" he shouted up to her. He must have gained her attention, because she looked down at him and he could see she made eye contact as a bolt of lightning dashed through the sky.

"Jack?" she asked, trying to hold onto the ropes.

"Down! Now!" he ordered, not wanting to risk her on the rigging.

"What? Why!?" she asked, getting angry.

"Don't question my orders! Go below deck, now! I'll not be risking the coordinates!" he shouted, trying to steer the ship while simultaneously holding a conversation. He immediately knew she was upset, and she swung down onto the deck and didn't look back at him. After being pushed around by the waves, she found her way below deck. Relieved that he had one less thing to focus on, Jack continued to keep the _Pearl_ as steady as he could. The crew took turns being on deck once the storm eased up slightly. Jack had a break as Gibbs took the helm and retreated into his cabin. Knowing he had an hour until he was needed to relieve Gibbs, he sat down at his desk.

"Risk the coordinates?" a voice sang from the corner of his cabin. Instantly recognizing it as Elizabeth's, Jack froze.

"Luv let's not be doing anything rash, I really value my life." She laughed at that, and rolled her eyes.

"You really think me to be such a horrible person?" she asked, seriously offended in more than one way.

"Well actions do speak louder than words. And luv, your actions have proven ye to be quite hostile when needed," he said.

"I made a promise. I keep my promises. I won't harm you again," she said in a serious tone. "Now let's get back to the subject at hand.

"Darling I really am tired, soaking wet, and I've only an hour before I must return to all that wetness," he mused, turning away from her and removing his boots.

"Am I just coordinates to a treasure to you?" she asked, walking around him to see his face.

"Not at all. Yer also the Pirate King _thanks to me_. Oh! And you are also the one who chained me to the mast of me own ship and left me to die. Which I did. Yet you are also the one who rescued me from the locker. Is that more than just a set of coordinates that may or may not lead to a treasure?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and towering over her. At his words, Elizabeth's face reddened in embarrassment.

"Jack I'm sorry. I know I never apologized for what happened. I am truly sorry, even though I know you'll never forgive me. For what it's worth, I lied to you when I said I _wasn't_ sorry after kissing you. There's not much else I can say," she commented, looking down at her boots.

"Luv, you're sorely mistaken. I forgave you the minute I saw your dear father on a boat to his grave. After seeing what you personally sacrificed for my return to this world, I put our little _incident_ behind. Let us leave it at that." His deep brown eyes softened for a moment, but shortly returned to their usual teasing manner. Sauntering over to his cabinet, he grabbed a bottle of rum and sat down in his chair.

"Then why did you make me go below decks?" she asked.

"I really rather be done talking Miss Swann. Me body is exhausted," he commented and took a swig from the bottle.

"Jack, please," she said, crossing her arms and moving closer to him.

"Well every time I see ye climbing the rigging you nearly slip, fall, or hurt yerself. The chances of this happening are greatly increased during a storm, I'll have you know. I am trying to protect the coordinates, yes, but I also don't want any casualties tonight. Now unless yer here to drink with me, go get some rest," he instructed with a wave of his hand. To his surprise, she sat down on top of the desk and grabbed the bottle from his other hand.

"I think I'll stay a while," she said teasingly. Truth be told, she didn't want to be alone. Being the only woman aboard was much more lonesome than she had imagined. When she was by herself, her thoughts tended to wander to unwanted topics. She was grateful for the distraction, and took a big pull of the rum.

Almost an hour later, she was still sitting on the desk enjoying a bottle of rum with Jack. They had joked about Barbossa, and Jack had even started to tell her about some of his memories from Shipwreck Cove. In the middle of his tale, a knock interrupted them.

"Gibbs?" Jack questioned.

"Aye cap'n! Hour's up," he said. Sighing, Jack turned to face Elizabeth.

"Well I must be going. Seems the storm's still bad enough, and it's my shift. Captain and all, duty calls," he slurred. Elizabeth's eyebrows knitted together and a pout formed on her face.

"What about the rest of your story?" she asked, feeling the effect of the rum.

"Wait here and I'll come back in an hour to finish it. What say you?" he said, his voice bursting with pride that his stories interested her. Smiling in return, she nodded her head. "Ye can read a book or somethin'. Just don't open another bottle yet, wait for me!" he called as he exited the cabin into the violent storm.

* * *

A little over an hour later, the storm had calmed down some and was easier to manage. Gibbs had reported on deck to take over, and Jack was excited to return to his rum. Opening the cabin door, his eyes widened. Slumped over in his chair Elizabeth was sound asleep. Softly chuckling, he removed his drenched hat and coat. After changing into dry breeches and removing his shirt he walked over to her. In her lap was one of his books titled _Great Beauty of India_. Slowly grabbing the old and worn book from her hands, he returned it to its spot on the shelf. He then hoisted her up in his arms and laid her down on his bed. After tucking her in, he returned to his desk and grabbed a new bottle from the cabinet.


	5. Chapter 5

_**AN: Thank you for the awesome reviews! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and please please please let me know what you think of it!**_

Doom and Gloom

"Elizabeth," Jack said with a roll of his eyes. "Let's be goin' now," he rushed her along as she tried to comb through her hair.

"Yes yes, I'm coming," she responded as Jack turned to go above deck. They had arrived at the first island, and Jack was determined to get an early start. After using the chamber pot briefly, she emerged onto the deck and saw the longboat that had been prepared. She spotted Cotton loading sacs and a few other things into the boat. Looking around for Jack, her glance fell on him and Gibbs talking. The two were standing just outside Jack's cabin, speaking in hushed tones. Nodding, Gibbs smiled and patted Jack on the shoulder.

"Gents! We're ready eh? I see our late sleeper is finally ready," he said, causing Elizabeth's face to redden. "Right then," he began after gaining satisfaction from embarrassing her. "Master Gibbs shall stay aboard, while some of us go ashore. Cotton, Tredd, Hodge, and Nicholas are with me. The rest of you, mind the ship. I expect to be back within a day or two, but it could take longer seeing as we're not sure what we're looking for," he said with a hand going to his compass. Elizabeth was the last one into the longboat, and it was then lowered into the sea. She was sitting behind Jack in the front of the boat. Looking at the island they were fast approaching, she noticed that most of it was grey and black rock aside from the few trees gracing the shore. It reminded her of Isla de la Muerta, and she felt a shiver run up her spine as the memories flooded her mind.

Within twenty minutes they had arrived at shore. Jack sauntered onto the beach, his beaded hair swinging. Tredd and Nicholas were pulling the longboat onto shore, and Elizabeth looked ahead at the rocks.

"What now?" she asked Jack, walking towards him.

"Now, we find what we're here for," he responded with a flash of gold teeth. Opening his compass, his eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"What? What's wrong?" she asked him, moving closer to see the compass. Abruptly shutting it, he turned towards her.

"Nothing is wrong. Minor setback. Lizzy would you be a dear and hold onto this for me?" he asked, handing it to her and walking away. Completely lost, she held the wooden compass in her hands, looking back at Jack who had apparently busied himself with Tredd and the supplies from the longboat. Curious, she opened the compass to see where it would point.

Sly as a cat, Jack snuck up behind Elizabeth and peered over her shoulder. He saw the needle pointing northwest, and smiled.

"Ahh good," he said. "Why don't you hold onto that for the time being, eh?" he asked her. She smiled in return, realizing that the captain was unsure of what he wanted, therefore causing the compass to not cooperate.

"Sure," she played along. They started towards the rock formation, soon coming up to an entrance. The compass seemed to be leading them towards the middle of the island.

"Captain?" Nicholas asked, nodding towards the entrance to the giant cave formation.

"Light the rest of the lamps lads, we'll need light," Jack instructed. Within minutes the group had entered a long and dark tunnel. Tredd was in front, followed by Jack, Elizabeth, Hodge, Nicholas, and Cotton. They weaved their way through the tunnel, trying to not step in the small puddles.

"Jack, where are we going?" Elizabeth whispered to him but it echoed throughout the whole tunnel.

"Dunno luv," he said, moving forward. They pressed on, following the tunnel. Above them small drops of water fell and an eerie chill crept up Elizabeth's spine. Over an hour passed and they were still walking in the dark cave.

"Cap'n? How far exactly are we goin' to venture? What are we looking for?" Nicholas asked. Jack could sense the irritation lingering in the young sailor's voice.

"As long as it takes Nicholas. And we're looking for a _clue_ as it would seem," he snapped back at his younger crewman.

"The whole island appears to be a rock, so whatever we're looking for must be inside this system of caves," Elizabeth added with question in her voice.

"Aye," was all Jack responded. Another hour passed, and the group was beginning to slow down a bit. "Time for a rest, eh?" Jack asked. They walked a few feet ahead so that there was enough room for everyone to sit down and have some water. "We'll keep going for a few hours, then find a spot for the night if we don't find anything," the captain instructed.

Elizabeth sat next to Jack and Tredd as water and some dried meat was passed around. She felt a pounding headache, and was beginning to grow very tired. However, Elizabeth wanted to give a good impression and didn't complain. She knew that Jack was wary of her coming along, and she didn't want the crew to think of her as a "weak woman". Sighing, she rested her head against the cool, damp cave wall. Soon they were on their way again, aimlessly wandering through the long tunnel, until they came to an opening.

"Which way?" Hodge asked in his raspy voice. Knitting his eyebrows together, Jack looked between two different paths. He held a closed fist up to his mouth and concentrated.

"I'm not entirely sure. If we use the compass it will only point directly towards what we seek, which doesn't follow the paths I'm guessing. Why are these things never clear?" he pondered, swaying back and forth. "Let's just stay here for the night before we continue on. It's a decision for the morning."

* * *

Elizabeth looked up and saw very small cracks of orange light pouring into the cave. It signified the sunset. Realizing that this would probably be one of the most uncomfortable nights of sleep, she tried to stretch before sitting down. Having some water, she moved away from the men and towards her own area to sleep. She curled up on the cold stone floor of the cave, and tried to allow sleep to take her. The rest of them started to settle down, while Tredd and Jack were talking about the _Pearl_. By some miracle, Elizabeth was able to fall asleep on the uncomfortable rock floor.

Jack leaned against the rock wall, scanning the small clearing. Only one lamp was lit, to conserve the oil. From his spot, he could hear Tredd snoring heavily next him. He was able to see Cotton leaning against the wall, twitching every now and then. Next to Cotton lay Nicholas, fast asleep with his scrawny arms strewn about. His eyes then fell on Elizabeth, and he watched as she peacefully breathed in and out. Awfully close to her leg was Hodge. His beady eyes showing that he was still awake. "Best give the lass some space, eh Hodge?" he whispered across the clearing.  
"Aye Captain," he grumbled and moved a few feet to the left. Satisfied with himself, Jack put his hat down over his eyes and tried to get some sleep. A slight feeling of unease overtook him the more he thought about how close Hodge was to Elizabeth. It was stupid really, none of his concern. _She's her own person. Her decision to go on an adventure with a bunch of pirates._ Trying to clear the thoughts from his mind, he focused on sleep. _Well she is the only woman. As the captain it should be your responsibility to ensure the safety of everyone. Including Elizabeth. Then again, what's it to you?_ Jack argued with himself in his mind. _Nothing's happened anyways. What's there to worry of?_ _Enough! If you don't get some sleep soon you'll be a royal pain tomorrow. _He eventually convinced himself to go to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, the group continued forward. This time, Jack was in front with Nicholas, Tredd, Hodge, Elizabeth, and Cotton following him. Through the dark cavern they went, hoping that they would reach an end. All of a sudden a crack followed by a loud scream rang through the tunnel. Jack immediately turned on his heel, trying to see past Nicholas what was going on. With the dim lantern light, it took him a few seconds to register the fact that Elizabeth was hanging onto the rock floor. She must have fallen through, because there was a gaping hole surrounding her. "Get her up!" he bellowed to the men behind him. Cotton tried to help her up, but he was behind her and couldn't reach her due to the gap in the rock. Hanging on the edge with her feet dangling, she whimpered and looked to the men for help. Hodge stood before her, glaring down at the women in need of his help. Because the cave was so narrow, they were all scrunched in a line to see what the commotion was.

"HODGE!" Jack yelled. When Hodge didn't move, Jack ripped the others out of the way and shoved him back against the wall. Kneeling down he put his hands under Elizabeth's arms and hoisted her up. Landing on top of him, panting, she looked into his deep chocolate eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered as she tried to catch her breath. Jack simply put his hands on either side of her, and examined her.

"Ye alright?" he asked, scanning her face.

"Fine, thanks," she responded, still in shock from the floor going out beneath her. Nodding in acknowledgement, Jack slowly stood up and looked directly at Hodge. Because of their close quarters, Hodge could clearly see the anger radiating off of Jack.

"This act will cost you a day's rations. I don't care why you disobeyed your captain, but your punishment will be continued once we are back aboard the _Pearl_. Get to the back of the line," Jack hissed out. Grabbing Elizabeth's wrist with an iron grip he moved her to the front of the line behind him.

After their incident, they pressed on. The crew began to talk amongst themselves, the doom and gloom of the cave not affecting them anymore. After another hour or so, they finally reached a clearing again.

"Which way?" Tredd asked, looking to his captain as they passed out water to everyone except for Hodge. There were three different tunnels, and Nicholas stared at them in confusion.

"Let's try the middle, eh? We've no way to tell where they all lead. Seems they're all connected somehow. Stick together lads," Jack instructed and entered the middle tunnel. Hodge followed in the rear, an irritated expression on his face and scoffed out loud. Almost immediately, the path ceased and the sailors fell down another tunnel. Sliding, and some falling, they landed in a small pool of water. Elizabeth hit the water flat on her back, and was soon crushed. Jack on the other hand hit something harder than water.

"Jack," Elizabeth struggled to say. Painfully turning his neck, he saw that he had fallen directly on Elizabeth, probably crushing her lungs.

"Sorry luv," he said, rolling off of her as quickly as possible. Sitting up, he took in their surroundings. It seemed as though it was a dead end. No more tunnels, just the pool of water in the small clearing. Only having two lamps left, he grunted in irritation.

"I don't think this is the right path cap'n," Tredd suggested, lying in the water while rubbing his leg.

"Yes, thank you," Jack snapped back. Tredd held up his hands in defense, knowing full well that his captain was not in a good mood.

"We should find a way to get back up there," Nicholas suggested, pointing towards where they fell from. Squinting her eyes, Elizabeth looked around in the dimly lit area for anything to help them.

"Don't we have rope?" she asked.

"Aye," Hodge responded, holding up the coiled rope from one of the packs.

"If one of us can get up there can't the rest of us just climb up the rope?"

"I knew there was a reason I let you come with," Jack chimed in with a smile.

"How we gonna get one o' us up there?" Tredd asked, eyeing up the wall.

"Human ladder," Jack said with a wicked grin. "'Oi! Lads, let me get on one of yer shoulders," he instructed. Tredd stepped forward, and knelt down for his captain to climb. With surprising skill, Jack managed to stand on Tredd's shoulders. However, he was unable to reach the ledge. "Bugger," he cursed. Carefully turning his head, he looked down at the remaining crew. He needed someone light enough so their weight could be supported. "'Lizabeth, get up here," he said.

Elizabeth's eyes bugged out and her jaw dropped. "Me? You want me to climb up both of you?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yes! Yer the lightest one here! Now come come, Tredd can't stand here all day," Jack responded.

"But-"

"It's an order dear Elizabeth," Jack interrupted with a sing song voice.

"Fine. Don't drop me," she warned as she walked towards them. "Can I have the rope?" she asked Hodge who reluctantly handed it to her. "Some pirate you are, forgetting the rope," she teased Jack as she started to climb Tredd's solid form. She was able to partially use Jack's coat to help her scale Tredd's back, but soon was stuck on Jack's back. With a little help and maneuvering, she was sitting on his shoulders with his reindeer bone stabbing into her leg.

"I think I'm stuck," she announced, unsure of how to go about getting over the last part.

"Sure you don't just wanna sit here because of my charm?" he teased with a smile. Said smile soon fell from his face and Tredd began to shake and slightly sway. "Up ye go," he said, getting her to rise. She was so close to the ledge, but couldn't pull the rest of her body over it. "Sorry luv," he said as he put his hand on her bottom to push her up and over the edge.

"Jack!" she exclaimed, turning bright red. Looking over the edge at him she scowled. "Was that really necessary?" she asked.

"Why of course it was. Dear Tredd was going to fall! Now throw me the rope and hold on tight!"

* * *

She had quite some difficulty pulling him up the wall, but he made it. The group returned to the clearing with three tunnels and gathered themselves for a minute.

"Let's try the left one," Elizabeth suggested. Not in a place to object, Jack nodded his head in agreement and they tried the left tunnel. They walked down the path for what seemed like an eternity, and Jack was considering turning around to try the other tunnel but stopped right in his tracks. In turn, Elizabeth ran right into his back and gasped. A gold-toothed grin shown on Jack's face.

"There. That's what we've been searching for," he whispered.


End file.
